Top News:
Tim Brown / Yahoo! Sports:
Mets to name Johnson hitting coach — Howard Johnson will be named hitting coach of the New York Mets on Friday, getting the nod over Rickey Henderson, who will coach first base, baseball sources said. — Ninth in the National League in runs after finishing third in the NL last season …
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John Harper / NY Daily News:
Minaya's strange move shows us who's The Boss — Depending on who you believe, Omar Minaya fired hitting coach Rick Down either to shake up his underachieving team or to appease a few of his key players. Or both. Whatever the case, the Mets GM offered such a vague explanation …
Don Burke / New Jersey Online:
Down questions handling of release — NEW YORK — Rick Down has been around baseball for a long time. And he has seen a lot. But he wonders what would have happened yesterday had he not been tipped off by a reporter the night before. — Down was officially fired as the Mets hitting …
Daniel Malloy / Boston Globe:
Halladay outing cut short by Sox outburst — Neither Dustin Pedroia nor Roy Halladay cared to watch this fourth-inning encounter. Halladay was roughed up by Boston's bats, surrendering five earned runs in five innings. (JIM DAVIS/GLOBE STAFF) — At times, Toronto pitcher Roy Halladay's 12 …
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Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Growing pains — Hurting Ortiz acknowledges knee injury — For those looking for a harbinger of better things to come for the Red Sox in the season's second half, last night's 7-4 win over the Toronto Blue Jays abounded with candidates, but none more encouraging than this:
Discussion:
Cursed To First
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Big Papi dealing with torn meniscus — Slugger may undergo offseason surgery on right knee — BOSTON — A revived David Ortiz had already delivered three hits and two RBIs Thursday night before fouling a ball soundly off his right knee. You could call it a case of bad aim or painful irony.
Discussion:
The Joy of Sox
Rob Bradford / Boston Herald:Small problem for Big Papi: Ortiz says he has meniscus tear in knee
Discussion:
Boston Sports Media Watch
NY Daily News:
Yankees opt to give A-Rod an ultimatum — ST. PETERSBURG - The Yankees have a message for Alex Rodriguez: sign an extension before opting out of your contract, or don't sign with us at all. — A source told the Daily News that the Bombers have made it clear to A-Rod and his agent …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, New York Post, River Ave. Blues, FanHouse, THE BASEBALL SAVANT and The Team. The Time …
Rick Morrissey / Chicago Tribune:
Cuban in the mix for Cubs, but does MLB want him? — How one goes about sending in an application to buy a Major League Baseball franchise is a mystery to those of us who aren't in the ballclub-acquisition business. By fax? By standard mail? Or is there an online form?
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Fox Sports:
Mavs owner Cuban enters Cubs fray — FOXSports.com, Updated 57 minutes ago — LIKE THIS STORY? — Add internet billionaire and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban to the list of potential Chicago Cubs buyers. — "I submitted an app," Cuban said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Notes: Escobar on way back to bigs — Nationals outfielder to play left field once he returns — MIAMI — Outfielder Alex Escobar is expected to play a few games for Triple-A Columbus before being called up to the big leagues. Manager Manny Acta said there is nothing wrong with Escobar's health.
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Neil Best / Newsday:
Sheffield: Yankees treat black players differently — Gary Sheffield asserts black and white players are treated differently under Yankees manager Joe Torre, says Derek Jeter "ain't all the way black," and denies he ever has used steroids because "steroids is something you shoot in your butt" …
Patrick Brown / MLB.com:
Wild play lifts Mariners in opener — Seattle scores three in strange fifth inning; Hernandez gets win — SEATTLE — Adrian Beltre and John McLaren weren't sure what happened. Even the umpires seemed confused. One thing is for sure: Thursday, July 12, appeared more like Friday the 13th.
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Kelvin Ang / MLB.com:
Notes: Hall hopeful for a quick recovery — Outfielder upbeat on returning from injury earlier than expected — MILWAUKEE — Bill Hall returned to Miller Park for the Brewers' team workout Thursday evening walking normally and feeling optimistic about a quick recovery to his sprained right ankle.
Clark Spencer / Florida Marlins:
Willis, team want comforts of home — Dontrelle Willis hasn't won since May 29. The Marlins have gone the entire season without winning a home stand. — How significant is the coming stretch for Willis and the Marlins, who begin a 10-game home stand — their longest of the season …
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Upton expected to return tonight — ST. PETERSBURG - The Devil Rays have been in a hurry to get B.J. Upton back in their lineup. But to be sure he was ready, they had to see him run hard and fast. — After again delaying his expected return, the Rays saw enough Thursday in another rehab appearance …
